


Part of that World

by MedieavalBeabe



Category: Disney - Fandom, Little Mermaid - Fandom
Genre: Genderbend, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-24
Updated: 2014-08-31
Packaged: 2018-01-16 22:15:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1363666
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MedieavalBeabe/pseuds/MedieavalBeabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prince Areli is fascinated by humans, despite being told by his mother, Queen Trista, that all humans are "barbarians." So, when he falls in love with a young human princess, of course, there's only one thing he can do - become human to be with her.</p><p>Princess Erika is stunned when a charming young man washes up outside her palace. He looks like the man who rescued her from a shipwreck several days ago, yet he can't talk, which means he can't have been the one who's singing lulled her back to life...or can he?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Not Just An Old Fish Tale

Princess Erika stared dreamily down at the grey-turquoise waves lapping at the side of the boat. The foam they sprayed up was like whipped cream or the froth on top of a pint of beer and it quickly bubbled away into nothingness as it ran down the painted wood. Even though it was a grey day, it was still very warm and rather a pleasant day to be out at sea, with the salt spray blowing against her face and the wind mussing her already untidy hair. 

Though a princess by birth, Erika had never acted like one, even back in the olden days when her parents were still alive, though, naturally, she could easily slip into the role of princess when amongst polite society as easily as she could slip into her clothes in the morning. But Erika preferred being outdoors than indoors and she had always been drawn to the call of the sea. Even when sailors around her in wild weather were being sick over the side and turning green at the notion of food, Erika could always find her sea legs. 

“Daydreaming again, Princess Erika?” asked a voice to her left.

Erika looked up at the elderly, fussy and yet still rather loveable spinster who had practically raised her since her parents had died. Griselda, her grey hair scraped back into a tight bun, wore a sombre black dress, as though she were in mourning, although it was a well known fact that she had never married, and neat black buttoned boots, her usual attire and was holding the edge of the boat to steady herself. Unlike Erika, she didn’t take to the sea so easily, although Erika had yet to see her be seasick just yet. 

“I was just imagining what it must be like to be a fish,” Erika answered her. She knew that she could always be open and honest with Griselda, who would never laugh at her unless she meant to be funny. “It must be so peaceful down there,” she added, glancing down at the waves again, “swimming around all day without a care in the world.”

“Except, of course, for sharks and bigger fish,” Griselda quipped.

“Well, yes.” Erika smiled. “Alright, then, it must be peaceful being a shark. They’re never prey, just predators.”

“Some people do still hunt sharks,” Griselda said, as suddenly a large, fluffy sheepdog came bumbling past her, accidently brushing the backs of her knees in passing. Griselda jumped, slightly, then recovered and smiled down at the dog, who was intent on putting his front paws up on the backs of his mistress’s legs. 

Erika grinned and fondled the dog’s head. “Hey, Max.” She knelt beside him, ruffling his fur, which was much appreciated by Max. “What do you think, hm? Would you like to be a shark down there in the sea, swimming around all day?”

Max, who had been panting enthusiastically, cocked his head on one side and pricked his ears; his way of expressing curiosity to his mistress. Erika laughed. “I’d say that’s a no,” Griselda smiled, amused. 

“Ah, there’s more’n sharks in these waters, Princess.” The three of them glanced up at an older sailor, who had been listening to their conversation. 

“What do you mean?” asked Erika. 

“Why, the folk of the sea, missy; the ones with human bodies but fish tails instead of legs.”

“You mean merfolk?”

“Ridiculous!” Griselda sniffed. “Everyone knows they only exist in children’s stories and ancient folklore!”

“Aye, Miss Griselda, you know that for a fact, do you?” asked the sailor, squinting at her. 

Uncomfortably, Griselda looked him in the eye. “To my knowledge, there’s never been any recorded sighting of a mermaid or merman ever.”

“Just because no one’s ever seen one, doesn’t mean they don’t exist,” the sailor insisted. “I mean, you can’t see the wind, but you can’t deny it’s there.”

Griselda shook her head. “You sailors are so superstitious.”

The sailor glanced at Erika. “Many a man’s claimed to have been rescued by a mermaid before. Tricky blighters, mind, never stay for long. Keep an open mind, Princess, and an open eye on the waves. You might just prove some people wrong.” 

Glancing meaningfully at Griselda, he stalked off. Erika turned to Griselda. “There might be merfolk, you know, Griselda. So much of the ocean’s still unexplored by man.”

“Well, I’ll believe in mermaids when I see one for myself, Princess Erika,” Griselda said, curtly, and she turned and walked away to go below deck, to check that the birthday present for Princess Erika was still unharmed.

Erika glanced at the waves, automatically. Not that she expected to see a mermaid tail cutting through the water, but she wouldn’t have been surprised if she had at that moment. “Come on, Max,” she said, finally. “Let’s see what’s for dinner tonight.”

Now, the sailors were quite right, and Griselda was quite mistaken; there were indeed merfolk living beneath the waves, and right now the youngest son of Queen Trista was being scolded for missing a public concert that he and his brothers had been supposed to headline together. 

“But it wasn’t his fault!” Carpi, Areli’s best friend, a large yellow and blue carp, quickly swam to his defence. “Um, I mean,” she added as Queen Trista, ruler of all the sea, eyed her with a reproachful look, “there was this shark chasing us...yeah, and then Skipper the seagull came and was like “This is this and that is that...”

“Seagull?” Trista all but leapt out of her throne. Areli threw Carpi an irritated glance as she quickly hid behind him, frightened of incurring Trista’s wrath. “You went up to the surface again? After I warned you-?”

“But nothing happened!” Areli protested. “We just went to see Skipper.”

Trista sighed. “Areli, how many times do we have to go through this? You could have been seen by one of those barbarians, by one of those humans!”

“Mother, they’re not barbarians!” Areli snapped. 

“They’re dangerous!” she insisted. “Do you think I want my youngest son to end up being fish-hooked and killed?”

“I’m seventeen years old; I’m not a child!”

“Not another word! This discussion’s over!”

“But if you would just listen-!”

“Silence!” Tristan snapped. “You are never going up to the surface again, Areli! Is that clear?”

Areli took a deep breath and then sighed. “Yes, Mother.”

He turned and swam away, more angry than upset. Carpi followed him. Passing by the room he shared with his six brothers, Areli gave another sigh, this one of anger, and the seaweed curtain flap was instantly thrown aside as his older brothers came out, one by one, all looking equally as irritated as him. 

“Well, thanks a lot,” said Abelard, the eldest, with a sigh. “We go humiliating ourselves in public and the star of the show doesn’t turned up!”

“I’m sorry, alright?” Areli snapped back. “I lost track of time!”

“Well, there’s a first,” snorted Artemis. 

“Hey, it’s not his fault!” Carpi said, defensively. 

“Well, it’s certainly not ours either,” Angelo sniped.

“Oh, like you’ve never been late for anything before!” Areli snapped, swimming away from them.

“Face it, he’s never gonna get a girl with his attitude problem,” sighed Anderson.

“It’s not his attitude that’s the problem; it’s his daydreaming and lack of responsibility,” Asher muttered, bitterly.

“Come on, let’s leave him to sulk,” sighed Ambrose, swimming back into their room. 

Areli, however, wasn’t about to sulk. Instead, he was making his way to his underwater grotto where he stored his treasures; human treasures he had scavenged from sunken ships. Many of them he had no idea what they were or what they did, although their friend Skipper, a seagull who claimed to know a lot about humans, had done her best to fill in most of the gaps for them. His latest find was what the humans knew as a fork, but what Skipper had claimed to be a “dinglehopper” and she insisted it was what they used to comb their hair with. 

Areli picked up the fork and lay on his stomach on the sand, wishing once more that he could make his mother more accepting of humans. “Areli, are you ok?” asked Carpi. “I didn’t mean to tell, sorry.”

“No, I know, Carpi.” Areli sighed. “If only I could make her understand. I just don’t see the world the way she does. I don’t see how a world that makes such wonderful things could be bad.” He sighed. “I wish I could meet one.”

“A human?”

Areli nodded. “I mean, they can’t all be like Mother says, surely?”

“Don’t you be so sure about that, mon.” Areli and Carpi both started and turned to see a small red crab scuttling towards them. It was Sebbie, his mother’s most trusted advisor. “They’re a strange lot, are you-mans...so I hear.”

“Sebbie!” Areli recovered, quickly. “How’d you get here?”

“The same way you did.” Sebbie looked around the grotto. “What is all this?”

Areli flushed. “Just my...collection.”

“Collection?” Sebbie let out a hollow laugh. “If your mother knew about all these you-man things, she’d be so angry-!”

“You’re not going to tell her, are you?” exclaimed Carpi.

“Oh, please, don’t Sebbie; she’d never understand,” begged Areli.

Sebbie sighed. Areli was good at tugging at her heartstrings; he always had been, handsome lad that he was with his red hair and dark eyes. “Very well, I won’t tell. But I think you should come on home right now and we’ll say no more about this...”

She scuttled on, still muttering to herself, but Areli had become distracted by a large shadow on the floor. Looking up, he saw a shape that completely blocked out the setting sun. “What do you suppose..?”

Without waiting for an answer, he swam upwards, ignoring Sebbie and Carpi as they called out “Areli? Where are you going?” and broke the surface in time to see colliding coloured stars banging in the sky. It was frightening, but at the same time, strangely beautiful. The large shape that had blocked out the light was an enormous ship sailing away from them. Intrigued by the music that was coming from it, Areli swam over and pulled himself up the side of the boat to peek through a small gap. 

Aboard the boat, several sailors sat playing folksy sea music whilst Max happily bounced around, barking. Presently he stopped and sniffed, smelling a new smell. Whatever it was, he liked it, and he began to sniff around the deck. Seeing the great animal, one he had never seen before in his life, coming towards him, Areli quickly hid in a panic. Then, thinking it was safe, he glanced around the gap...only to come face to face with a happily panting Max. The dog licked his face and then heard the whistle of his mistress and went running up to her. 

“Max! Here boy!” Erika beamed as he came bounding up to her, barking in delight. She ruffled his fur. “There you are! I thought you’d fallen overboard or something!”

Areli, stunned by the dog’s display of affection, looked over at the young princess...and stared. She was absolutely beautiful. Her hair was black and tousled and tied back out of her eyes in a mussed ponytail; her eyes were wide and rich brown and her laugh was pleasant and warm as she played with her dog. Areli watched her, entranced. 

“Hey, Areli! Whatcha up to?” called Skipper, flapping alongside her.

“Skipper, shush, we’ll be seen!” Skipper landed on his shoulder and together they watched the humans. “I’ve never seen a human this close up before. She’s so beautiful isn’t she?”

“I don’t know; kinda old, isn’t she?” asked Skipper as Griselda stood up and clapped her hands together, ready to make a speech.

“No, not that one, that one,” Areli said, pointing to Erika. 

“Attention, everyone!” announced Griselda, indicating a large covered gift. “Princess Erika, in honour of your eighteenth birthday, I would like to present you with this small gift.”

It was hardly small, however, as it was revealed to be a life-sized statue of the young princess, looking rather more girlish and princess-like than she’d ever have cared to look. Even Max didn’t like it; he growled at it in annoyance. 

Erika laughed, politely. “Well, thank you, Griselda. It’s...lovely.”

“Yes, I had hoped it would be a wedding present,” sighed Griselda.

“Oh, Griselda, I know you want to see me married, but I don’t want some stuck up prince and an arranged wedding,” sighed Erika, leaning against the railing, a few inches away from where Areli and Skipper were eavesdropping. Areli felt his heart racing. “The perfect man’s out there somewhere; I’ll know him when I meet him.”

At that moment, a sudden clap of thunder and lightning caused them all to start. “Storm ahoy!” one of the sailors cried, pointing towards an oncoming hurricane. 

“Is it a bad one?” cried Erika as Max came hurrying towards her. 

“Looks like it!” 

Even as he spoke, the wind began to rip at the sails and then, suddenly, a streak of lightning hit the mast. It came crashing down, on fire, and immediately the deck was in flames. “Abandon ship!” the sailors cried as one. “Man the lifeboats!”

Erika raced down the stairs when a sudden barking made her whip around at once. “Max!”

Poor Max was trapped on the top deck, surrounded by flames. Coughing as she threw an arm in front of her face to keep sparks from stinging her eyes, Erika ran to the stairs. “Max! Jump! Come on, good boy! Jump! I am not leaving this ship without you! Jump!”

Max looked uncertain and then he took a flying leap, clearing the flames completely. He cannoned into Erika, knocking her down, but she quickly leapt up, bundled him under one arm, much to his surprise, and hurried towards the lifeboats. Thrusting his least on, she threw him into Griselda’s arms. “Here!” she yelped and then licking flames severed the lifeboat rope and the boat dropped, with the entire crew, Max and Griselda aboard, but Erika was still trapped by fire aboard the deck. 

“Princess Erika!” shouted Griselda. “Someone, do something!”

Erika backed away to the other side of the boat as the flames snaked across the deck towards her. Hitting the side of the boat, she toppled, lost her balance and fell into the water below. She was usually a strong swimmer, but the wind was stirring the waves into a mighty frenzy and kept trying to force her under. Coughing and fighting, she felt herself slowly lose all consciousness and then the world went dark.

Areli, however, who had been flung off the side of the boat by the wind, had spotted her, and as she sank once again, he caught her in his arms and pulled her above the water. Then, he all but dragged her towards the shoreline, just visible in the distance, as the ship burned and was slowly caught up by the rest of the storm and swallowed up into darkness. 

In the early hours of the morning, Areli pulled her onto the sand and examined her all over. For a second, he thought she might be dead, but then, slowly, Erika began to breathe, although she didn’t stir. Areli breathed out in relief. Then, brushing her hair out of her eyes, he gazed down at her. Even like this, she was beautiful and his heart felt like it was flying. He ran his eyes across her body. Humans dressed very strangely, he decided. She was wearing a red and white shirt, that had become a little torn in the storm, and dark blue trousers, also a little tattered by the storm by now, as well as black boots on her feet. Unable to stop himself, Areli slowly picked up her foot and examined it. Humans had strange fins, he decided, well, for a start, they had two of them, separate as opposed to only one, and they put these strange feeling things over them. Slowly, he eased off her boot and looked at her foot. Whereas his tail was green, and many other merfolk had tails of completely colours to their upper bodies, humans were the same colour all over. He removed the other boot, just to see if the other fin was the same, and then he heard her stir, slightly. 

Areli leaned over her again, heart pounding. “That’s it,” he murmured, softly, as she moved her head. Cradling her head with one hand, he began to sing, softly to her. One thing that everyone always said about Areli was that he had a voice that could make angelfish weep. Presently Erika blinked and opened her eyes. In her groggy state and with the sunlight streaming in behind him, she couldn’t see his face clearly, but she could hear his voice and see his outline slightly. Then, suddenly, a shout of “Princess Erika!” and the sound of barking caused her to turn her head and open her eyes properly. 

Areli quickly retreated, leaping back into the sea just as Max reached his mistress and began to lick her face, before scenting Areli again and barking, excitedly. Griselda came hurrying up and helped Erika to her feet. “Princess Erika, thank goodness! We all feared the worst!”

Erika hugged Max, relieved that he was alright, and then looked up at Griselda. “I don’t remember what happened...but I think someone saved me...”

“Who?” inquired Griselda. 

“I don’t know.” Erika rubbed her forehead. “It was a man, I know that much. I couldn’t see his face but he was singing to me. He had the loveliest voice you’ve ever heard...for a man.”

Griselda shook her head. “Princess Erika, I think you must have had a bad knock on the head or something. Come inside and rest. Max, here boy!”

Max was barking at the sea, but when he saw that his mistress was being led back to the palace, he followed eagerly. 

Areli watched the scene from behind a large rock. Carpi, Sebbie and Skipper had also been witness to what had happened. “This is bad,” Sebbie muttered. “He save a you-man, mon! We can’t tell the Queen! She’d get so mad..!”

Areli barely heard them. He was too busy watching Erika being led back to the palace as the waves crashed up behind him. For now it was plain for all of them to see that the young merman prince was in love...with a human.


	2. A Defiant Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prince Areli is fascinated by humans, despite being told by his mother, Queen Trista, that all humans are "barbarians." So, when he falls in love with a young human princess, of course, there's only one thing he can do - become human to be with her.
> 
> Princess Erika is stunned when a charming young man washes up outside her palace. He looks like the man who rescued her from a shipwreck several days ago, yet he can't talk, which means he can't have been the one who's singing lulled her back to life...or can he?

“Areli, will you hurry up already?” called Abelard.

He had been in the bedroom unnaturally longer than usual, his oldest brother noted. Angelo, busy trying to get his hair looking right in the mirror, glanced at him. “What’s with him today? He’s been mooning and juning since he got in last night.”

“Last night?” Ambrose, busily lifting his dumbbells, snorted. “Early this morning, you mean.”

“Jeez, no wonder he’s still in bed,” sighed Abelard, and even as he spoke, Areli came drifting cheerfully out of the bedroom. He grinned at his brothers. “Morning. Nice day, isn’t it?”

He quickly fluffed out his hair in front of the mirror, humming to himself. His brothers exchanged a glance. Picking up a sea flower from the floor, Areli took a great inhale of it and then almost bumped into his mother on the way out. “Morning, Mother,” he smiled, cheerfully, handing the flower to Queen Trista.

“Well,” exclaimed his mother in surprise, “Good morning to you too, Areli.”

Still singing to himself, Areli swam off. The brothers exchanged another glance. 

“He’s got it bad,” Artemis said, finally.

Queen Trista frowned. “Got what, exactly?”

“Isn’t it obvious, Mother?” Anderson shook his head. “Areli’s in love.”

Queen Trista was surprised to say the least. “Areli? In love?”

Areli, meanwhile, was lying on his back a long way off from the palace atop a rock, staring up at the sky, or what little of the sky could be seen from below the sea. Beneath him, Sebbie was pacing and muttering, worriedly, to herself. “Ok, so far so good, I don’t think your mother knows. But it’s not going to be easy keeping something this big a secret for so long...”

Areli wasn’t listening to her. “Sebbie, do you think she loves me?”

“Areli! Are you even listening to me?”

“I mean, she didn’t really get a chance to look at me properly...” Areli sighed. “She was so beautiful...” He sat up straight. “I’ve got to see her again! Tonight! Skipper knows where she lives!”

“Areli, will you please get your head back in the water where it belongs?” begged Sebbie. 

“I’ll swim up to her castle. Then, Carpi can splash around to get her attention and then-!”

“Down here is your home!” Sebbie snapped, swimming up to him so they were face to face. “You gotta get this girl outta your system, mon!” 

Areli laughed in disbelief. “Sebbie, you can’t mean that!”

“I can! You know how your mother feels about you-mans!”

Before Areli could answer, they were both distracted by a shout of “Ar-e-li!” It was Carpi, and she only ever stretched his name out like that when she had something important to tell him. “Hey, Carpi,” he grinned.

Carpi looked very pleased with herself; she flipped backwards in a loop-the-loop before she answered him. “Hey! I’ve got to show you something! It’s really cool!”

Areli grinned. “See you, Sebbie!”

“But I-!” Sebbie sighed as they both shot off in the opposite direction. “Oh!” she groaned. “Someone’s got to nail that boy’s fins to the floor!”

“Sebbie!” Sebbie turned to see Harold, the little seahorse herald, swimming towards her. “Sebbie, there you are. I’ve been looking all over for you. The Queen wants to see you right away.”

Sebbie frowned. “She does? Why?”

“I don’t know, but she said it’s urgent. Something about Areli.”

Sebbie’s jaw dropped. “She knows!”

Queen Trista, of course, didn’t know, not yet anyway. She was musing on her youngest son bein completely smitten by someone when Sebbie came in. “I wonder who the lucky mermaid is,” she murmured to herself before noticing Sebbie. “Ah, Sebbie; there you are.”

“I must remain calm,” Sebbie muttered to herself, but she was so nervous that her voice came out in a high-pitched “Yis?!” Clearing her throat, she corrected herself in her normal pitch. “Yes, your Majesty? You wished to see me?”

“Well, Sebbie, I’m a little worried about Areli. Have you noticed that he’s been acting rather strangely this morning?”

Sebbie would have blushed if she could. “Strangely, Majesty? In, um, what way strangely?”

“Oh, you know, mooning about, daydreaming, singing to himself, that sort of thing?” Queen Trista was certain that if anyone would know which mermaid had stolen her youngest son’s heart, Sebbie would. “You have noticed, haven’t you?”

Sebbie looked awkward. “Well, um, I...”

“Sebbie, why do I get the feeling you’re...hiding something from me?”

“Hiding something?”

“About Areli?” Queen Trista gave her the look. 

Thinking that she knew their secret, Sebbie cracked. “I tried to stop him, Majesty! I told him about staying away from you-mans! He wouldn’t listen and then-!”

“Humans?” Queen Trista’s face darkened and she glowered at Sebbie, in a mixture of shock and anger. “What about humans?” she thundered.

“You-mans?” Sebbie gulped. “Um, did I say that?”

“Carpi,” giggled Areli as they swam into the grotto together. “Why can’t you just tell me what this is all about?”

“You’ll see,” Carpi replied and then showed him. “I found it after the storm. It’s her, right?”

Areli gasped in wonder. It was the statue of Erika that Griselda had given her, having been washed overboard during the storm. “Oh, Carpi! You are a wonder!” Seizing her in a hug that made her giggle, Areli laughed in delight. “It looks just like her, every detail!” He swam up to the statue and it was as if Erika herself was under the sea with him. “Why, hello, Erika. Care to run away with me? Or swim, as the case may be? Oh, you don’t need to be afraid of sea when you’re with me!”

Carpi giggled and then felt someone behind her. Turning, she let out a gasp at the sight of Queen Trista. Areli turned and gasped too. “Mother?”

Queen Trista’s face was as stormy as the sea had been the night previously as she swept forwards into the room. Behind her, Sebbie scuttled in terror. “I consider myself a reasonable mermaid, Areli,” she said, her voice as cold as the room now felt. “I set certain rule and I expect those rules to be obeyed.”

“Mother, just listen-” Areli began but he was cut short.

“Is it true, after I expressly forbid you to go to the surface ever again, that you not only disobeyed me but that you saved a human from drowning?!”

Struck dumb for a second, Areli nodded and then glanced at Sebbie, who hung her head in apologetic shame. 

“How could you?” Queen Trista went on. “You know that contact between this world and the human world is strictly forbidden! Everyone knows that!”

“I had to save her!” Areli insisted. “She would have died if I hadn’t!”

“And that would have been all the better!” snapped his mother. “One less human to worry about!”

“You can’t mean that! You don’t even know her!”

“Know her? I don’t have to! They’re all the same!”

“Is that what you think?” Areli shouted, losing his temper. “Just because they’re not like us?”

“Areli, they’re just a bunch of spineless, savage, harpooning fish eaters, incapable of any feeling-!”

“That’s not true!”

“A human would never do anything to help any of us!”

“I love her!” 

The second the words were off his lips, Areli was aware of two things; one, that he had said it aloud, and two, that it was completely true. Carpi gasped. Sebbie’s jaw dropped. His mother’s face dropped what colour it had, turning sea-foam white in shock, as she stared at her son. 

“Have you completely lost your senses?” she finally spat. “She’s a human; you’re a merman!”

“I don’t care!” Areli snapped, leaning against the statue. In that second he didn’t care, one way or another; all that mattered was what was in his heart. Memories of cradling her close to him on the beach came flooding into his mind and he tried had to focus on that rather than his mother’s voice. 

“So help me, Areli, I am going to get through to you, one way or another!” Anger flared up inside Queen Trista as the trident began to blaze. 

Areli realised too late what was about to happen. “No, wait!”

The trident’s light shot around the room, destroying every human object it touched. Areli gasped in horror as the human “treasures” he had collected from various sunken ships were smashed to pieces one by one. Carpi and Sebbie both ducked behind a rock to avoid being hit as the globe they were floating beside shattered in a blaze of light. Areli swam forwards to grab his mother’s arm...and they both turned to the statue. 

“NO!” Areli cried, but his shout was drowned as the statue glowed with crackles of light and then was reduced to rubble. Areli stared at the spot where it had been. It was as if his mother had destroyed the real Erika. “No,” he moaned, falling down amid the rubble, seizing parts in his hands, even though he knew it was useless, they were destroyed beyond repair. “No.” He threw a look to his mother, and though she felt that he had been taught a much needed lesson, Queen Trista found herself unable to face the accusing eyes and the pained expression on her youngest son’s face. She turned and left the grotto, only slightly ashamed of her actions. 

Areli felt Carpi and Sebbie’s eyes on him. “Leave me alone,” he said, his voice flat.

“Areli, I didn’t mean-” Sebbie began.

“Leave me alone!” Areli snapped, flinging down handfuls of rubble.

Both his friends flinched and then left the grotto. Breathing heavily, Areli dropped his hands to the stone on which the statue had stood. The shock within him was replaced with a sudden wave of anger...and then the sense of loss, which hit him squarely in the chest like a brick being hurled at him. With a sigh of defeat, he curled up, resting his head in his arms and his arms on his tail, and trying hard not to give way to tears.

“Poor lad,” crooned a sudden voice nearby.

Areli looked up to see two large moray eels drift into the grotto. “Poor sweet lad,” the other agreed. “He has a very serious problem.”

“Aw! If only there was something we could do,” said the first, Flotsam.

“But there is something we can do,” said the second, Jetsam. 

Areli frowned at them. “Who are you? I’ve never seen you two before.”

“Now, don’t be scared, boy,” smiled Flotsam. “We represent someone who can help you. Someone who can make all your dreams come true.”

“Just imagine,” agreed Jetsam. “You and your princess. Together. Forever.”

Areli looked confused. “I don’t understand.”

“Ursus has great powers,” said Flotsam. 

“The Sea Warlock?” Areli felt a tingle of coldness down his spine. He had never met Ursus the Warlock personally but he had heard rumours that the man was not to be trusted. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.” He shook his head. “Go away; leave me alone.”

Flotsam shrugged, if eels could shrug. “Suit yourself.”

“It was only a suggestion,” added Jetsam, in a slippery tone. He knocked something off a nearby rock with his tail in passing. Areli looked over at it. It was the stone face of Erika from the statue. Areli picked it up. Suddenly the idea of being able to touch her, hold her, be near her again was more appealing than anything and worth all the trouble in the world. “Wait!”

“Yes?” smiled the eels, eagerly. 

Areli nodded. “Take me to Ursus.”

“Right this way,” they beckoned with their tails and Areli followed them.

“Poor Areli,” sighed Carpi. 

“I didn’t mean to tell,” Sebbie insisted. “I just cracked under all that pressure.”

Something swam over their head and they both looked up to see Areli and two eels swimming away from the grotto. “Areli, where are you going?” Sebbie exclaimed.

“To see Ursus the Sea Warlock,” Areli replied, stiffly.

Sebbie gasped. “Areli, no! That’s a bad idea!”

“Then, why don’t you go tell my mother!” snapped Areli. “You’re good at that!” 

“But...I...” Sebbie stared after them and then pulled herself together. “Come on, Carpi.”

They followed Areli and the eels to the egde of the coral reefs, a dangerous area, where a large coral formation, shaped like an enormous fish, stood out amongst the rest. “This way,” the eels said, when they reached the mouth of the great fish.

Nervous, but determined, Areli followed them inside. Glancing down, he saw that the floor of the, what, cavern? House? Whatever, was filled with tiny sea plants that looked up, pitifully, at him and one tried to grab hold of him. Areli dodged it just in time and then a crisp voice rang out from within the heart of the cavern. “Come on in, lad. It doesn’t do to loiter in doorways, you know. Didn’t your mother ever tell you that?”

Areli felt sick as he took in the Sea Warlock. Tall, muscular bound and thin, he had white hair and the hint of a goatee on his chin. His skin was pale purple, his eyes a vivid blue. He wore a shell on a cord around his neck and another dangled from one ear. But what sickened Areli most about the Sea Warlock was that his body didn’t end in a tail, but octopus tentacles. They pulsated, slimily, as he moved. Nevertheless, Ursus maintained a friendly air towards the young prince. 

“Now, I believe you’re here because you have a thing, shall we say, for this human princess.” Areli nodded. Ursus smiled. “I knew it. Not that I blame you; she is rather gorgeous, isn’t she? Well, my lad, the solution is simple. You see, the only way to get what you want is to become a human yourself.”

Areli gasped. “You can do that?”

“Can I?” Ursus laughed aloud. “Why, my boy, that’s what I do. I help unfortunate merfolk like yourself; those poor unfortunate souls with no one else to turn to. Of course, though, the choice has to be yours, at the end of the day.”

Areli took a deep breath. “What would it involve, exactly?”

“It’s fairly simple. I can give you a potion that will turn you into a human for three days; just three, I’m afraid, stronger magic is beyond my abilities. Now, the spell can make you human permanently if, and only if you can get your princess to fall in love with you. That is, she has to kiss you. Not just any kiss, mind you, but a kiss of true love.”

“But what happens if she doesn’t kiss me in three days time?” Areli asked.

“Well, then, I’m afraid, you’d turn back into a mermaid...and you’d belong to me.” Ursus’ smile was a sly one. Areli suppressed a shudder. 

“But if I become human forever,” he realised, “I’ll never be with my mother or brothers again.”

“That’s right,” mused Ursus, “but you’d have your young lady. Of course, you don’t have to take the potion at all; you can just leave right now...but you’d probably lose any chance of seeing the princess ever again. Oh!” Ursus clapped a hand to his forehead. “Fool that I am, we haven’t even discussed the subject of payment yet!”

“Payment?” exclaimed Areli. “But I don’t have anything, not now, anyway.”

“Oh, I’m not asking for much, just a small trifle...your voice.”

“My voice?”

“You’ve got it, boy. No more talking, singing, zip.”

“But without my voice, how can I?”

“You’ll have your looks, your handsome face and never underestimate the importance of body language. Besides, girls up there find men that talk too much rather boring. You’d be more likely to catch her if you kept quiet.” Ursus smirked as Areli pondered his choice. “Well, I’m a very busy man and I haven’t got all day. All you’d need to do is sign this scroll and let me do the rest.”

Areli looked up at the magical golden scroll that appeared before him, along with a fishbone quill. Ursus waited. Areli played it all out in his mind...and then he grabbed the quill and signed Areli on the dotted line. Ursus grinned and then cast a summoning spell.

“Paluga, sarruga, come winds of the Caspian Sea. Now bring us glossitis and max laryngitis,la voce to me! Now, sing!” he commanded. Areli began to sing and suddenly two smoky hands rose out of Ursus’ cauldron and then dove down his throat. Areli stared as they retracted, holding a glowing light that sang with his voice and then, holding his throat, he realised that he really couldn’t speak or sing any longer. With a wicked laugh, Ursus tossed him a bottle filled with a purple liquid. 

“No, Areli!” cried Sebbie, but too late as Areli downed it in one. A strange tingling sensation filled his body as suddenly his own fins were ripped apart and replaced with two strange looking human ones. But Areli didn’t have time to ponder them; he had forgotten that, as a human, he could no longer breathe underwater. Carpi and Sebbie quickly rushed to his rescue. Seizing his arms, they swam upwards as fast as they could towards the surface. 

Areli broke through the waves with Ursus’ laughter still ringing in his ears and as cold air filled hislungs, he felt whatever strength he had had as a merman leave him. Limp as a ragdoll, he was carried towards the shore by Carpi and Sebbie as the dawn slowly began to break behind them.


	3. The Princess and the Mute

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prince Areli is fascinated by humans, despite being told by his mother, Queen Trista, that all humans are "barbarians." So, when he falls in love with a young human princess, of course, there's only one thing he can do - become human to be with her.
> 
> Princess Erika is stunned when a charming young man washes up outside her palace. He looks like the man who rescued her from a shipwreck several days ago, yet he can't talk, which means he can't have been the one who's singing lulled her back to life...or can he?

Erika wandered the beach, dolefully, even though Max was at her side. She knew that she hadn’t imagined that young man with the amazing voice who had rescued her from the storm...but Griselda was insisting that she had been alone when she and Max had found her on the beach. Why had her rescuer retreated like that? 

Max, beside her, sensed her dolefulness and licked her hand. Erika smiled and fondled his head. “Just glad that you came out of the fire ok, Max. But who rescued me? And why would he run away afterwards?”

For a moment she pondered what that sailor had told her about merfolk living under the sea...and then shook her head. No, it couldn’t have been a merman. She pulled herself together, picked up a stick and threw it for Max. He shot off after it at once, snatched it up and came running back to her. Erika grinned at him. “Whoever he is, Max, he’s out there somewhere, and I’m going to find him.”

Unknown to her, of course, her saviour wasn’t actually that far away from her, over across the far side of the beach. Waking up eventually from the sheer exhaustion that had overcome him after his transformation, Areli brushed his wet fringe out of his eyes and then stared down at the place where his tail had been. He had human legs, like the others he had seen on the ship. Lifting one leg, he stared down at his foot and then willed it to move in his mind. It worked. He grinned at Sebbie and Carpi, who were resting by a rock, in delight.

“Well, look what the catfish dragged up!” called Skipper, landing on Areli’s leg, not even noticing the change about him. “How are you doing, sweetie? Wait, something’s different, right?” Areli nodded. “The hair?” Areli shook his head. “Been working out?” Areli shook his head again. “Well, I’m at a loss, honey,” said Skipper, even as Areli shook the leg she was standing on, causing her to bob up and down like a ship on the waves, “I mean, there is something, but I just can’t-”

“He’s got legs, you idiot!” exclaimed Sebbie. 

Skipper jumped up in surprise. “Well, would you look at that! He has and all!”

“The Sea Warlock turned him into a human in exchange for his voice,” Carpi explained. “And he’s got to get the princess to fall in love with him and she’s got to kiss him, otherwise-”

“Otherwise he belongs to Ursus for good!” Sebbie finished. 

“And we’ve only got three days to get them together,” Carpi added as Areli tried to stand up on these new legs. It wasn’t easy. For a start he felt so far away from the floor, and for another, these legs seemed very wobbly and clumsy. Trying to maintain his balance, he failed, badly and fell back into the water, bumping his head on a rock in the process. 

“Just look at him!” cried Sebbie as Areli rubbed his head, sheepishly, and brushed seaweed from his hair. “On legs! On you-man legs! This is a disaster! I’m going to march right home now and tell the Queen just like I should have-and don’t you shake your head at me, young mon!” she added as Areli quickly scooped her up and shook his head, frantically, at her. “Maybe there’s still time to get Ursus to give you back your voice, so you can go home with all the normal fish and just be...” Sebbie broke off as Areli gave her a downhearted look. “Miserable for the rest of your life.” She sighed. “Alright, I’ll try to help you get your princess.”

With a grin, Areli kissed her. Sebbie shook her head. “What a soft shell I’m turning into.”

“Now, Areli,” said Skipper, reaching for a broken sail that had washed up on the rocks, “I’m telling ya, if you want to a human, the first step is to dress like one. Here, try this for size.” 

A little way away, Max sniffed the air and suddenly gave a joyful bark as he recognised a smell. “What’s up, boy?” Erika asked. Max ran towards the smell, barking in delight. “Max! Max!” Watching him run ahead, Erika put her hands on her hips. “Max!” she shouted. “If you don’t come back here this second, I’ll never feed you again!”

That always did the trick. Max came running back and she put the lead on him. “Now, what is it, boy? Hm? What’s wrong?” Max barked, joyfully, and then began to tug on the lead. “Ok, ok!” Erika exclaimed as she found herself pulled along. 

“There, stunning!” Skipper insisted as Areli leaned uneasily against some rocks, now wrapped in a makeshift Greek-style toga. “I’m telling ya, honey-!”

She was cut off as the sound of Max barking reached their ears. “What’s that?” exclaimed Carpi, ducking behind a rock. Sebbie yelped as she hopped it a pocket of Areli’s clothing. Areli looked around as Max emerged from around the rocks and tugged his lead out of his mistress’s hand. He charge towards Areli, much to his alarm. Areli tried to run but he stumbled, still unused to his new legs and landed on all fours on the sand. Max came towards him and Areli tried to crawl back away from the slobbering beast, wondering what it wanted. Then, to his surprise, Max licked his face again. 

“Max!” Erika yelped, seeing that the boy was clearly terrified of him. “Heel! Come here!”

Max ran back to her and Erika grabbed his lead. “Bad boy,” she scolded. “You know better than to jump on people like that. Say you’re sorry.”

Max put on a genuine apology face, sat down in front of Areli and held up one paw. Areli frowned at him and then looked up at Erika, who smiled. “It’s alright, he won’t hurt you; he just gets over excited.” 

Areli glanced at Max, who was quiet now, and the, slowly, he patted the dog’s head. Max gave another bark and then panted quietly. Erika crouched down beside Areli. “I think he likes you.” Their eyes met and Areli felt his heart racing. She was here, she was right here in front of him. Erika blinked and then smiled. “Sorry, I don’t mean to stare, but...I feel like we know each other. “

Areli nodded, eagerly, a smile breaking over his own face. “We've met? Well, what’s your name?” asked Erika as Max looked from one to the other, equally as eager. 

Areli tried to say it...and then remembered that he couldn’t. Erika frowned. “What’s wrong?” Areli tapped his throat. “Oh. You can’t speak.” Areli shook his head, sadly. “Oh. Then you couldn’t be who I thought.”

Max sighed, puffing up his fringe in the process. Areli did the same and then remembered what Ursus had said about body language. He scrambled to his feet, uneasily, and Erika, realising he was trying to tell her something, followed suit. “What’s up? Are you hurt? Do you need help?” Areli shook his head and then his legs gave way. “Whoa!” Erika grabbed his arms and steadied him. Their eyes met again and she realised that even though this man wasn’t the one who had saved her, she couldn’t just leave him. Looking him up and down, she took in what he was wearing and quickly concluded that he must have been involved in some kind of shipwreck or tempest. “You must have really been through a lot,” she said, gently. “Here, lean on me.” She draped his arm around her shoulders, wrapping hers around his waist. “You can come back to the palace; we’ll look after you.” 

Areli threw a joyful grin back at Skipper and Carpi as Erika helped him across the beach, with Max happily pulling on the lead as he led the way. Once they were inside the palace, Erika called up a bustling middle aged man named Carlos and asked him to take care of the young man she had found at the beach. 

“Oh, but of course, Princess,” Carlos replied, kindly, bowing to her and then turning to Areli, he indicated, politely, that the young man should follow him. Areli, who was starting to get used to his legs, did as Carlos bid. “So, you were washed up in a shipwreck?” Carlos shook his head in sympathy. “You poor man. Well, we’ll have you cleaned up in no time.” He led the way into a grand bathroom with an enormous bathtub, which he quickly filled with warm water and soap. Areli quickly pulled off the toga that Skipper had made him and stepped into the surprisingly but pleasantly warm water. It was a strange but wonderful feeling. Carlos smiled and picked up the toga. “I’ll, um, I’ll just get this cleaned for you.”

Areli leaned back in the bath as Carlos left the room and sighed. He couldn’t believe it. He was here, in Erika’s palace. Albeit, he couldn’t talk to her, but she had been so kind to him, perhaps she could fall in love with him. And once that happened, he would be human forever, and they would be together and perhaps then his mother...his mother! Areli sat up slightly. What on sand was she going to do when she discovered her youngest son was missing? Oh, they’d cross that bridge when they got to it, he decided, lying back down as Carlos came back into the room with some clean human clothing for him. For now, he would focus his attention of trying to get Erika to fall in love with him. 

Sebbie, meanwhile, in the pocket of Areli’s toga, was having a pretty rough time of it. First she had found herself dunked and washed around in a basin of warm, soapy water and shaken about until she felt sick. Then, she had been hung up to dry along with the tunic, and several seagulls who weren’t Skipper had their eyes on her, so she quickly had to jump onto the window of the kitchen. There she almost fainted in shock when she saw that the menu for the afternoon was stuffed crab!

Chef Louise, a French woman, who cared about preparing food and that alone, bustled around the kitchen, making the dinner. In an attempt to escape without being see, Sebbie hid under a piece of lettuce but at that moment Chef Louise picked up that salad bowl and noticed that a piece of lettuce had fallen out. Picking it up, she saw Sebbie and assumed that she was one of the already dead crabs bought for the midday meal. “Sacre bleu, I missed one!” she exclaimed, tossing poor Sebbie into the sauce and then tossing flour over her. Sebbie sneezed and then felt herself grabbed by Chef Louise again as the woman tried to stuff her with bread and stuffing before tossing her into the pot of boiling water. With a yelp, Sebbie grabbed the side of the pot and managed to keep herself from being boiled alive. Shaking flour off herself, she managed to clamber out. Chef Louise, however, saw her. “A live one in my kitchen!” she exclaimed, going for Sebbie with a meat cleaver, smashing up the kitchen in the process. Sebbie quickly hid under a dish as Carlos came into the room. 

“Louise, what is going on?” he exclaimed, taking in the mess in the kitchen. 

“I-he-I-!” Louise babbled, annoyed at having missed the crab. 

“Just get this all cleaned up and then get lunch ready!” Carlos ordered her, before going back to check on Areli. The poor boy had had a little trouble pulling on his clothes by himself, but by the time Carlos got back to him, he was dressed. Carlos smiled at him. “Come along then, the Princess is in the dining room.”

In the dining room, Erika and Griselda were engaged in another conversation about Erika’s mysterious saviour. “Alright,” Griselda said, “I’ll appreciate that you didn’t make him up, but then why did he run away when we found you?”

“Maybe he got scared by Max,” Erika replied. “The boy I found on the beach certainly was at first. And you know how boisterous Max can be without meaning to be.”

“Indeed I do,” Griselda agreed, getting to her feet. “So, when do I meet this young man you met on the beach?”

Erika smiled. “He’ll be joining us for lunch; as soon as he’s cleaned up, that is.”

Even as she said it, Carlos kindly ushered Areli into the dining room. “Don’t be bashful, lad,” he smiled.

Erika smiled at him as he stepped up to her, now dressed in black trousers, a salmon coloured shirt, a black waistcoat and matching boots. “You look great.”

“Pleasure to meet you at last, lad,” smiled Griselda. “My name’s Griselda; and if you need any help with anything, don’t hesitate to come to me. Well, shall we eat? You look famished.”

She led him to a chair and Areli sat down. Then, to his surprise, he spotted a dinglehopper on the table. Quickly, he brushed out his fringe with it...and then noticed the two women staring at him rather oddly. He quickly put it down again. 

Then Griselda laughed, kindly. “Well, I suppose when you’re at sea for so long, you can make good use of just about anything!”

Erika laughed too, much to Areli’s relief. “Oh, Erika, I haven’t heard you laugh like that in years,” smiled Carlos as he served their dinner. “Now, here we are, stuffed crab.”

Erika tried not to look disappointed since she wasn’t overly keen on seafood. Areli almost gasped as Griselda lifted her plate cover and she recognised Sebbie giving her a frantic “Help me!” look. Areli quickly beckoned for her to scuttle under his own dish cover. Luckily this went unnoticed by either Erika or Griselda, both of whom were in conversation again. “You know, Erika,” Griselda was saying as Sebbie scuttled towards Areli, “perhaps our young guest would like a tour of the kingdom tomorrow. I mean, you can’t spend all your time indoors, either, it isn’t healthy, and maybe it would be a good way for you to get to know each other, hm?”

Erika knew what Griselda was implying and rolled her eyes at her tone before turning to Areli. “Would you like to join me on a tour of the kingdom tomorrow?”

Areli, who had just put the cover down over Sebbie, nodded, eagerly. 

“Wonderful,” smiled Griselda. “Now, let’s eat before this crab runs off my plate.”

“This has got to be, without a doubt, the single most humiliating day of my life,” Sebbie muttered later that evening as Areli prepared to sleep in the room that Griselda had shown him into. He was now dressed in nightclothes, which were a faded blue colour and as he sat down on the bed, it sagged slightly, but felt more comfortable than his own bed back at home. He had spent the rest of the way with Erika in the palace grounds, playing with Max. He had learned now that the dog, whilst large, was really just very playful and liked to bark a lot, and Areli was even beginning to like the animal a lot. “I hope you appreciate what I go through for you, young mon,” Sebbie added, and Areli quickly patted her on the head, affectionately. Sebbie rolled her eyes. “Now, look, if we’re going to get this gal to kiss you, them tomorrow you’d better look your best. Listen to her all the time, girls like that kind of thing...”

But Areli was already asleep and dreaming. 

Sebbie shook her head. “You are hopeless, boy, you know that?” she smiled, snuggling down on the pillow. “Completely hopeless.”


	4. Go On and Kiss the Boy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prince Areli is fascinated by humans, despite being told by his mother, Queen Trista, that all humans are "barbarians." So, when he falls in love with a young human princess, of course, there's only one thing he can do - become human to be with her.
> 
> Princess Erika is stunned when a charming young man washes up outside her palace. He looks like the man who rescued her from a shipwreck several days ago, yet he can't talk, which means he can't have been the one who's singing lulled her back to life...or can he?

The next morning dawned, bright and clear, and all through the day Areli was conscious of the fact that he would be spending it with Erika. He was also aware that he had to try to get her to fall in love with him, somehow, and possibly kiss him; otherwise, well, that was it, then. They could never be together. 

Still, he reflected, as he pulled on the clothes that Carlos had already had sent up to him; dark blue trousers, a light blue shirt, black waistcoat and black boots, she had seemed somewhat attracted to him the day before. Perhaps there was a chance for them after all. 

When he came downstairs, he found Erika waiting for him, dressed in the same outfit as the day before, if a little more neatly pressed. She smiled at him and he felt his heart begin to race. 

“You look good,” she greeted him, with a nod. 

Areli badly wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked too, but of course he couldn’t, so instead he adopted what he hoped was a grateful expression and smiled back at her. Erika led the way out of the palace and towards a strange vehicle; or at least it was strange to Areli. It looked something like a shell carriage, but was made of the same material as boats and was a completely different shape. It was pulled by animals that looked a little like seahorses, but they had four legs and hairy tails. Areli, nervously, patted one and to his relief, like a seahorse, it received the gesture calmly, closing its eyes, lazily, as if enjoying it. 

“Do you like horses?” Erika asked. Areli nodded. “So do I. Although Max just likes to bark at them, don’t you, Max?” This last was to the dog who had come bounding eagerly out to receive his mistress’ customary fuss. “No, you’re not coming with me,” she told him, and Max licked her nose, looking disappointed. “We’ll go for a walk later, alright?”

“We’ll go for a walk right now,” Griselda corrected her as she came out of the palace, carrying Max’s lead. “Come on, boy.”

“Max!” Erika grinned as Max bounded up to lick Areli with a fond “Ruff!” “Go to Griselda, Max,” Erika ordered him and the dog obeyed as Griselda slipped the lead on him. 

“Take care, now, Erika,” Griselda warned as Erika hoisted herself up into the cart. 

“Don’t worry,” sighed Erika, holding out a hand to Areli to help him up. “We’re only going into town.”

“I don’t want you driving that cart too fast,” Griselda replied. “Don’t scare the poor lad.”

“Yes, Griselda,” Erika replied, in a resigned tone and then she slapped the reins, causing the horses to start forwards towards town. She smiled at Areli. “She is sweet, Griselda, but the way she fusses over me, you’d think I was still a child. You know what I mean?”

Areli nodded at once. Oh, yes, he knew what she meant. His mother still fussed over him in the same way. He quickly pushed thoughts of her to the back of his mind. All he wanted to focus on was Erika. 

She turned to him. “You know, it’s strange, but you’re the first man I’ve ever been able to really talk to. All the others never seem interested in what I’ve got to say, or else I find myself putting on a show for them; you know, talking like a princess instead of just talking like myself...”

She broke off and blushed, embarrassed. “Sorry, I’m rambling now. I’ll shut up.”

Areli shook his head. He didn’t want her to shut up. He wanted her to keep on talking to him, normally, like herself. She smiled. “Thanks for not making me feel like a fool.”

He returned her smile and then his attention was caught by the town as it came up. It was strange not seeing a place underwater and the whole area was abuzz with life. Everything fascinated him, and as they finally clambered down from the cart, he caught her hand, eagerly and pulled her into the heart of the town square. 

“Slow down!” Erika laughed. “It’ll still be there when we get there!”

“She’s right, mon!” Sebbie, who had hitched along in Areli’s pocket, hissed into his ear. “Don’t go making a fool of yourself, or you’ll never catch her!”

There were, however, too many exciting new distractions for Areli’s eyes; puppet shows, people selling their wares, music and dancing. The latter of which caught his eye and he quickly pulled Erika in among the dancing couples. Surprisingly he found it easy dancing on two legs; it was more graceful without a tail, he decided. 

“I have to warn you,” Erika laughed. “I don’t dance very often.”

But her feet still moved at the same time as his, and she was delicate as a swan on her feet. Lost in the music, they moved to the same rhythm and lost themselves to the dance, as Areli finally picked her up off her feet and swung her about. Erika blinked down at him and then realised just how attracted to him she was. Holding her close, Areli readied himself to kiss her, and then, to his surprise, she blushed and looked away from him.

“You dance very well,” she smiled, stepping away from him. 

Areli tried not to let his disappointment show on his face, once again adopting a grateful smile. “Come on,” Erika said, taking his arm. “Let’s do lunch. I don’t know about you, but I’m starving.”

“Don’t worry about it, mon,” Sebbie whispered to Areli as he allowed Erika to lead him away from the dancing. “I think you’re getting closer.”

By the time lunch was over, Areli felt more hopeful. Perhaps she had just been a bit shy, he thought; after all, they barely knew each other. But perhaps by the time the day was over, she might just possibly fall for him. 

They took the cart around the rest of the town, and at one point Erika even let him take the reins. That turned out to be quite terrifying. After handling the family carriage in his youth, and spending a lot of time racing around the sea with his brothers and their friends, Areli wasn’t one to take driving a cart lightly. Thankfully, however, after the first few terrifying miles, he allowed the horses to slow to a trot and Erika looked quite relaxed at having not to drive for a while. As they crossed over a bridge, Carpi came swimming up out of the water and hissed to Sebbie “Hey, has he kissed her yet?”

“Not yet!” Sebbie hissed back. “Give him time, mon!”

A few moments later, Skipper came soaring down to land on the bridge. “Hey, Carpi; any sign of a kiss yet?” she asked. 

“Not yet,” Carpi sighed, gloomily. 

Eventually, as the day came to a close, Erika led Areli down the lagoon where they hired boats out for trips. “Have you ever rowed before?” she asked as they stepped up to the small wooden rowboat that was just the right size for two – plus a stowaway crab. 

He shook his head. “Well, that’s ok. I know how to. Oh,” Erika added as Areli held out a hand to help her into the boat. “Thank you.”

Areli quickly followed her and then stumbled as the feel of both their weights rocked the boat. “Whoa!” Erika quickly caught him and steadied him, with a soft laugh. Areli gave her a sheepish look. “I guess you haven’t quite got your sea legs, yet!” she teased. 

If you only know, Areli thought as he sat down opposite her. She took the oars and admired the way that the movement of them in the water made the boat move. There was so much to learn about humans and their ways, and so many questions he had to ask her about it, but none that he could voice yet. He hoped that when he did get to kiss her and become human permanently that he would get his voice back from Ursus. Otherwise, well, he’d have to find some other way of communicating with Erika. 

“Move your feathers!” hissed Carpi from where she and Skipper were watching the scene. “I can’t see!”

“There’s nothing to see!” Skipper replied. “Nothing’s happening! Right, this calls for drastic action!”

“What kind of drastic action?” Carpi asked. 

“A little romantic music!” Skipper flew over to a nearby tree and began to croon. Unfortunately, seagulls aren’t the best singers and Skipper was no exception. Areli winced at the noise she was making, although thankfully she was hidden from view by the leaves. 

“Gee,” Erika muttered, glancing around the lagoon. “Someone should put that poor animal out of its misery.”

Areli nodded and then signalled to Skipper to be quiet when Erika wasn’t looking. 

“Jeez!” Sebbie muttered. “I’m surrounded by amateurs!” She sighed and quickly plopped into the water. “If you want something done right, you’ve always got to do it yourself,” she added, breaking off a piece of reed and swimming back to the surface to talk to some of the lagoon animals. “Alright, mon, let’s create the mood. Percussion...” And some ducks began to drum. “Strings...” And some grasshoppers began to play. “Winds...” And the wind rustled through some broken reeds. “Words,” Sebbie finished before she began to sing. 

“There you see him

Sitting there across the way

He don't got a lot to say  
But there's something about him

And you don't know why

But you're dying to try

You wanna kiss the boy...”

Erika turned her head about. “Did you hear something?”

Areli shook his head, wondering if the song would work. 

“Yes, you want him

Look at him, you know you do

Possible he wants you too

There is one way to ask him

It don't take a word

Not a single word

Go on and kiss the boy

Sing with me now

Sha la la la la la

My oh my

Look like the girl too shy

Ain't gonna kiss the boy

Sha la la la la la

Ain't that sad?

Ain't it a shame?

Too bad, she gonna miss the boy...”

“You know,” Erika said, presently, and Areli sat up straighter, all attention on her. “I wish there was some way you could tell me your name. Maybe I could guess it. Is it...Michael?” Areli shook his head at once. “No? Ok. Um, is it...David?” Areli shook his head again. “Robert?”

“Areli,” Sebbie quickly hissed to her. “His name’s Areli!”

Erika frowned as Sebbie ducked out of sight. “Areli?”

Areli quickly nodded, eagerly and squeezed her hand. “Areli?” Erika smiled. “That’s unusual. But I like it.”

“Now's your moment

Floating in a blue lagoon

Girl you better do it soon

No time will be better

He don't say a word

And he won't say a word

Until you kiss the boy

Sha la la la la la

Don't be scared

You got the mood prepared

Go on and kiss the boy

Sha la la la la la

Don't stop now

Don't try to hide it how

You want to kiss the boy

Sha la la la la la

Float along

And listen to the song

The song say kiss the boy

Sha la la la la

The music play

Do what the music say

You got to kiss the boy

You've got to kiss the boy

You wanna kiss the boy

You've gotta kiss the boy...”

“Go on and kiss the boy!” hissed Sebbie, practically throttling Skipper in excitement.

Listening to the song without really knowing it was there, Erika allowed the mood to take her. It felt so peaceful and natural sitting in a boat with Areli that, for a moment, she forgot her resolve to find the man who had sung her awake after saving her from the storm, and found herself just thinking about the one who was now holding her hand. He was very handsome, she had to admit, and with a certain charm, a little naive, maybe, but there were worse things. And he did seem to like being with her; he let her ramble at will and listened like it was the voice of an angel itself talking. 

Leaning forward, Areli felt bold enough to untie the ribbon keeping her hair in place, and as it tumbled down around her shoulders, he ran a hand through it. It felt indescribably soft and smooth and at the feel of his fingers dancing through it, Erika closed her eyes. “Areli,” she murmured, hardly even aware she was doing so, and at the sight of her lips parting, ready for his kiss, Areli leaned forwards...

And with a sudden shriek from Erika they were both thrown into the water as the boat overturned and they both plunged headfirst into the lagoon. Startled, Areli splashed to his feet and then, seeing Erika trying to do the same, he quickly helped her to her feet. 

“I’m alright,” she gasped, coughing a little as he supported her. Shaking her wet hair from her face, in embarrassment, she looked over at the boat. “Wonder what made it tip over like that?”

The moment had been ruined by Flotsam and Jetsam, although Areli wasn’t to know this. Watching from the bubble in his lair, Ursus muttered a curse to himself. “Nice work, lads,” he added to the eels. “That was close. Too close. That little sea troll’s better than I thought. At this rate he’ll be kissing her before sunset tomorrow! Well, no matter! There’s still time to break up their little romance and have Queen Trista writhing like a worm on a hook!”

So saying he quickly whipped up a spell in his cauldron that transformed him into a handsome young human man – with Areli’s voice.

After returning to the palace and drying off, Erika had gone out into the garden for a wander by herself. She couldn’t get over the fact that she had almost kissed Areli. It was very confusing; for even though she was certain that her heart belonged to her mystery saviour, she was now beginning to feel something for the mysterious boy who was now staying at the palace with her. 

“Princess Erika,” Griselda said, coming up to her. “Is everything alright?”

She sighed. “I’m so confused. I thought...the man who saved me...I thought it was him I wanted, but now...I think I want someone else...”

“May I make a suggestion, Erika?”

“Fire away, Griselda.”

“Well, your saviour is a dream boy who you may never see again. But just up there,” and here she pointed up to the bedroom Areli slept in, “is a real boy of flesh and blood who is warm and caring and kind, and rather handsome, wouldn’t you say?”

“Yes, he is handsome,” Erika admitted, folding her arms. “And you’re right, he is warm and caring and he listens to me, not like a lot of them...”

“Then why not?” Griselda murmured, gently, and then she left. Erika glanced up at the window and realised that she was right. Surely her feelings for a real man were stronger than those for any dream boy? Making up her mind, she turned to go in, when a sudden singing made her stop in her tracks. 

“That voice...” she whispered, turning. “I know it! It’s him!”

Running to the wall, she looked down to see a man walking along the sands below. His face was hidden by the shadows but his voice was unmistakeable, pure and hypnotising. Perhaps too hypnotising, as Erika found herself lost in a trance, and quite literally under a spell as the man turned in her direction, a seashell glowing at his belt, and held out an arm towards her, serenading her completely.


End file.
